UWF Notice: Tropical Storm Zeta

UWF Notice: Tropical Storm Zeta Update #2
October 27, 2020

Due to the threat of severe weather in Northwest Florida from Tropical Storm Zeta, all UWF locations will close at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28 and normal operations will resume at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, unless otherwise notified by the University. This closure will allow students and employees to safely seek shelter as Tropical Storm Zeta passes through our area.

• All courses, including online courses, are cancelled. All assignments, exams, virtual and in-person courses must be suspended during this time.
• All virtual or in-person meetings, activities and services are suspended during this time.
• Essential employees must report to work, as assigned. If you are essential personnel and required to report to work, your supervisor will notify you.

According to the most recent update from the National Weather Service, the path of Tropical Storm Zeta is expected to restrengthen back to a hurricane as it continues into the Gulf of Mexico and will make landfall as a category 1 hurricane on the Southeast Louisiana coast on Wednesday, Oct. 28. At this time, local impacts potentially include tropical storm force winds, heavy rains, high surf and rip currents, storm surge and isolated tornadoes.

Residential Students: When storm/hurricane conditions are expected in the Pensacola area, UWF residential students may be directed to either shelter in place or evacuate to the on-campus ride-out facility. A decision regarding student evacuation to the ride-out facility will be made as the storm progresses and communicated in a timely manner to residential students. Dining Services will work with Housing and Residence Life on facilitating dining options during the closure. These options will be communicated to residential students through Housing and Residence Life staff. To learn more about sheltering, visit www.uwf.edu/weatherFAQ.

Office Preparations: Employees are asked to prepare work areas for the storm before departing. If employees are working remotely, supervisors or building emergency coordinators should prepare work areas.

• Unplug computers and other sensitive electronic equipment, if possible. If you need to remote into your computer, it can stay powered on. The monitors can be turned off.
• Ensure that you have taken all computer equipment off the floor (such as towers, monitors, battery backups and power strips), and placed them on higher ground.
• Loosely cover computer equipment that is turned off and unplugged with heavy weight plastic sheeting (see your building emergency coordinator).
• Close your window blinds to help stop potential debris from entering offices.
• Consult with your building emergency coordinator for details and further instructions.

Weather information is available by tuning into WUWF at 88.1FM or online at wuwf.org. Updates from the National Weather Service are available at www.weather.gov/mob and twitter.com/NWSMobile.

University officials encourage students, faculty and staff to learn more about storm preparedness at uwf.edu/uwfstorm and uwf.edu/weatherfaq. In the event of an emergency, please contact the UWF Police Department at 850.474.2415 or 911.

The University communicates with students, faculty and staff via email, uwf.edu, facebook.com/westfl, twitter.com/uwf and the UWF Mobile Alert text messaging system.

To learn more about Mobile Alert, visit uwf.edu/mobilealert. To ensure you receive future University communications, confirm that your contact information is up-to-date in the University’s communication system, “Mobile Alert.” Log in to my.uwf.edu and search “Mobile Alert” to update and add contact information.

UWF Notice: Tropical Storm Zeta
October 26, 2020

University officials are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Zeta, which is currently over the central Caribbean Sea and is forecast to make landfall along the Gulf Coast between south central Louisiana and the western Florida Panhandle on Wednesday, October 28, 2020. All University of West Florida locations remain operational at this time. If conditions change, the University will update the campus community.

According to the most recent update from the National Weather Service, the path of Tropical Storm Zeta is expected to strengthen to a hurricane as it moves northwest towards the Yucatan Peninsula. At this time, local impacts potentially include heavy rain and possible flooding, strong winds, high surf and rip currents, storm surge and isolated tornadoes.

Weather information is available by tuning into WUWF at 88.1FM or online at wuwf.org. Updates from the National Weather Service are available at www.weather.gov/mob and twitter.com/NWSMobile.

University officials encourage students, faculty and staff to learn more about storm preparedness at uwf.edu/uwfstorm and uwf.edu/weatherfaq. In the event of an emergency, please contact the UWF Police Department at 850.474.2415 or 911.

The University communicates with students, faculty and staff via email, uwf.edu, facebook.com/westfl, twitter.com/uwf and the UWF Mobile Alert text messaging system.

To learn more about Mobile Alert, visit uwf.edu/mobilealert. To ensure you receive future University communications, confirm that your contact information is up-to-date in the University’s communication system, “Mobile Alert.” Log in to my.uwf.edu and search “Mobile Alert” to update and add contact information.